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Originally Posted by Arlie Rahn
I don't know. I would say get a top of the rotation 28-year old starter, top lefty starter prospect, one of the Yankees top prospects (Navarro - whom they will probably spin into Green) and $8 million is not bad value for a 41 year old starter with bad knees one season removed from a 6-8 record and 4+ ERA.
Johnson would have been nice to keep in AZ, but getting 2-3 major leaguers that can help this season (Green, Vazquez) plus prospects and $8 mil in cash is much more valuable when you look down the road. Arizona is going to enter 2005 with a payroll almost $25 million below what they had in 2004 and will probably win another 25 games. Not too shabby an offseason.
Probably because they are building a team that will last past 2005. Signing and trading for good players in their 20s and early 30s makes a lot more sense than trying to hold on to 41-year olds when you are a year or two from making serious noise.
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Your argument assumes that Vazquez is indeed a top of the rotation starter. I'm not sure that's the case. Maybe he was hurt last year but an ERA+ of 92 isn't exactly confidence inspiring. He had two really good years and two more decent years. Don't get me wrong, I like Vazquez and think he'll rebound somewhat but I'd say he's a longshot to repeat his 2003 success. That looks like a career year to me.
You also apparently think a lot more of the prospects in this deal than I do, and probably Shawn Green too. Green's pretty clearly in his decline phase and isn't worth the kind of cash he'll pull down next year. If the DBacks keep RJ and let him walk as a FA next winter they'll get picks that could have better value than the youngsters they're getting from NY.
It just seems to me that trading arguably the best pitcher in baseball for a clear downgrade after you've just signed two expensive free agents seems to be a clear case of "two steps forward, one step back." Then again I've never been real impressed with the Arizone front office so I'm not surprised.